Paint applying device



March 1965 F. B. BURNS ETAL 3,172,140

PAINT APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l @77a1mey March 9, 1965 F. B. BURNS ETAL, 3,172,140

PAINT APPLYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m, I Q 11 3 T 14 United States Patent 3,172,140 PAINT APPLYING DEVIUE Fredrick B. Burns, South Milwaukee, Wis., and Geno DErcoli, Chicago Heights, IlL, assignors to E Z Paintr Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 302,200 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-166) This invention relates in general to painting apparatus, and more particularly to a paint applying device which is particularly adapted to paint the edges and borders of a surface which are adjacent to an adjoining surface.

As is well known in the art, large open surfaces can be effectively painted with rollers "or brushes. However, these devices do not function satisfactorily to form clear cut borders adjacent adjoining surfaces. Those skilled in the art have proposed numerous expedients to obviate this problem. However, none has proved to be completely satisfactory.

For example, one known type of tool consists of a flat pad mounted on a backing frame which provides a handle. The frame has rollers or wheels on one edge thereof that roll upon the adjoining surface to space the paint applicator pad therefrom. In order for this tool to function satisfactorily, the adjoining surface must be generally planar, and must be offset a sufiicient amount from the painting surface to provide a surface on which the wheels may ride. In using the above described tool to trim surfaces employing any widely used construction materials, such as thin vinyl trim or tapered wood trim, it has been found that the adjoining surfaceis not set out far enough for engagement by the wheels of the trimming tool. The aforedescribed device has other serious disadvantages in that when loading the pad with paint, it has been found that it is common for paint to be picked up by the wheel edges so that this paint will be undesirably applied to the adjoining surface. Another known disadvantage of the wheeled type of trimming tool is that paint has a tendency to get into the wheel axles where it hardens, and prevents the wheels from rotating properly.

In another known type of tool, an applicator pad is mounted on a frame which includes a handle. The frame has a blade along one edge thereof to prevent paint from contacting the adjoining surface. However, when the pad is loaded with paint, the outer blade surface is also coated, so that the user must wipe the blade edge after each loading prior to use. This, of course, is an undesirably time consuming and messy operation.

Accordingly, the general purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved paint trimming tool which is capable of painting the edges and borders of a surface, and which possesses none of the disadvantages noted above.

A more specific object is to provide a paint trimming tool with displaceable guide means which will space the paint applying member from an adjoining surface during the trimming operation, with the guide means being movable away from the paint applying member so that the applying member may be dipped into paint without getting paint on the guide means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint trimming tool as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein novel means are provided for securing the paint applying member to a support frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paint trimming tool which is simple in construction, efficient in operation, well adapted for its intended purposes, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These and other objects of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from an examination 3,172,146 Patented Mar. 9, 1955 of the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawings, wherein;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1 during the paint loading operation;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the device during the painting operation;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the device with certain parts broken away for clarity;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 66 of FIGURE 4.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts through out the several views, the paint trimming tool is indicated in its entirety at 10 in the drawings, and includes a frame 11. Frame 11 includes a relatively thin flat base 12 formed of a suitable material, such as plastic, or the like. Base 12 is generally trapezoidal in plan view (FIG- URE 4), and includes opposed forward and rearward edges 13 and 14, respectively, and opposed side edges 15 and 16 which converge rearwardly from front edge 13. Edges 15 and 16 include portions of reduced thickness 17 and 18, respectively, which extend forwardly from rear edge 14 and terminate short of front edge 13 as at generally vertically extending shoulders 19 and 20.

Paint trimming tool 10 further includes a paint applying member, shown generally at 21, which comprises a backing member 22 formed generally in the shape of a trapezoid having substantially the same external dimensions as base 12. Backing member 22 may conveniently be formed of a thin strip of metal, with an appropriate paint applying pad 23 bonded to its undersurface by adhesive 24 (FIGURE 6). The opposed side edges 25 and 26 of backing member 22 are bent over to provide inwardly directed opposed flanges 27 and 28 that define hook portions which slidably embrace base portions'17 and 18, respectively. Flanges 27 and 28 terminate short of the forward edge of the backing member 22, and thus define abutments 29 and 30 that are engageable with shoulders 19 and 20, respectively. Abutments 29 and 3t) are positioned relative to shoulders 19 and 20 in such a manner as to dispose the forward end of backing plate 22, and pad 23, in substantial vertical alignment with the front edge 13 of the base 12.

A hollow, upright gripping portion, or handle, 32 is formed centrally on base 12, and includes spaced parallel side walls 33 and 34, an arcuate rear wall 35, an inclined top surface 36, and a generally vertically extending short front wall 37. A centrally disposed slot 38 is provided in top surface 36 and front wall 37, for a purpose to be described.

A pair of generally upwardly extending bosses 40 and 41 are provided on the upper surface of base 12 on opposite sides of handle member 32 and have transversely extending axially aligned bores 42 and 43, respectively. A guide member, indicated generally at 44, is provided on base 12 adjacent the forward edge thereof, and is movable between a painting position shown in FIGURE 3 and in the solid line position in FIGURE 5, and a paint loading position shown in FIGURE 2 and in broken lines in FIGURE 5. Guide member 44 includes a generally flat body 45 having rearwardly converging sides 46 and 47 which terminate in very short generally parallel end portions 48 and 49. The rear edge of guide member 44 is provided with a rearwardly open centrally disposed opening 50 which embraces handle 32, as is best seen in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 4. The rear edge of guide member 44 is also provided with aligned beads 51 and 52 which extend between opening 50 and sides 48 and 49, respectively. Beads 51 and 52 are provided with reduced ends 53 and 54, respectively, which are pivotally received within bores 42 and 43, respectively. The forward edge of guide member 44 is provided with a downwardly extending spacing member 55 which has substantially the same width as the forward edge 13 of base 12. As is best seen in FIGURE 3 and in FIGURE 5, the undersurface 56 of guide member 44 adjacent the forward edge thereof is seated upon the upper surface of base 12 adjacent the forward edge thereof, when the guide member is in the painting position. Means are provided for pivoting guide member 44, and include a generally rearwardly and upwardly extending arm 60 formed integrally with guide member 44, and positioned substantially centrally on the upper surface thereof. Arm 60 is received within the slot 38 of handle 32, and is provided with a planar upper surface 61 which is adapted to be engaged by the forefinger of the person using the paint trimming tool. The lower surface 62 of arm 60 is upwardly inclined to enable the arm 60 to pivot relative to the base 12.

To use the aforedescribed paint trimming tool 10, the handle 32 is grasped by the user with sides 33 and 34 being held between the thumb and middle finger, and with the forefinger resting upon the upper surface 61 of arm 60. Sides 33 and 34 may be provided with grooves or serrations to facilitate the gripping thereof by the user. Pressure is then applied with the forefinger on surface 61 at a point spaced rearwardly of the guide member pivot axis to pivot the guide member into the paint loading position shown in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that in the paint loading position, spacing member 55 is spaced a substantial distance from base 12 and from pad 23. The pad 23 is then placed in a supply of paint 71 held in a suitable container 70, and as is shown in FIGURE 2, spacing member 55 will be spaced a substantial distance from the upper surface of the paint supply to obviate the possibility of getting any paint on the spacing member. The pad 23 is then lifted from the paint supply and the excess paint is removed by wiping the pad against the upper edge of the container 70. Guide member 44 is then pivoted into the painting position by pressing on the upper surface 61 of arm 60 at a point spaced forwardly of the guide member pivot. With guide member 44 in the painting position, it will be noted that spacing member 55 overhangs the forward edge 13 of base 12, and also partially overhangs the pad 23. The planar outer guide face of spacing member 55 is then positioned against the surface S adjoining the surface P which is being painted. Spacing member 55 functions as a displacement means to separate the paint trimming tool from the surface S so that paint will only be applied to the surface P being painted, and not to the adjoining surface S. When pad 23 becomes worn, the paint applying member 21 may be easily removed by merely sliding the backing member 22 rearwardly from base 12. A replacement paint applying member 21 may be placed upon the paint trimming tool in a correspondingly easy fashion by sliding the backing plate 22 on to base 12, with the hook portions 25 and 26 co operating with the base portions 17 and 18 to hold the paint applying member 21 in place. The end portions 29 4 and 30 of the hook edges 25 and 26 abut against shoulders 19 and 20 to properly locate the paint applying member relative to the base 12.

We claim:

1. A paint applying device comprising, in combination: a frame with a generally planar support having a forward edge; handle means associated with said support for manual manipulation of said paint applying device; a generally planar paint applying member secured to said support and adapted to lie flushly against a surface for trimming the border thereof adjacent and adjoining surface, said paint applying device having a forward edge positioned in general vertical alignment with said support forward edge; a guide member including a generally planar base having a forward edge; means on said support defining a pivot axis parallel to the plane of said support and spaced rearwardly of said support forward edge for pivotally securing said guide member base to said support for movement of said guide member between a painting position wherein said guide member base rests upon said support and a paint loading position wherein said guide member base is inclined with respect to said support; a spacing member extending generally perpendicular downwardly from the forward edge of said guide member base and adapted to overlie the forward edge of said support when said guide member base is in the painting position to prevent paint from being applied to said adjoining surface during the trimming operation, said spacing member being moved to a position spaced above the plane of said paint applying member when said guide member base is pivoted into said paint loading position whereby said paint applying device may be dipped into a supply of paint without getting paint upon said spacing member; and lever means on said guide member base and extending upwardly from the plane thereof, said lever means having a manually engageable portion disposed rearwardly of said pivot axis and adjacent said handle means for manual manipulation of said guide member base between said painting and paint loading positions.

2. A paint applying device as defined in claim 1 in which said support includes edges of reduced thickness at opposite sides thereof having aligned shoulders near the forward edge of the support; and wherein said paint applying member includes opposite side edges, each provided with a hook portion that is engageable with one of the support side edges, the forward end of each hook portion being engageable with one of said shoulders to removably mount said paint applying member on said support and align the forward edge of said paint applying member with the forward edge of said support.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,193 4/37 Campbell 15-166 2,537,468 1/51 Lanius 15246 2,584,504 2/52 Seeber 15-166 2,810,148 10/57 Wood "15-210 FOREIGN PATENTS 360,741 11/31 Great Britain.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,810,148 10/57 Wood.

2,853,731 9/58 Lancaster.

2,975,453 3/61 Imhof.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PAINT APPLYING DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A FRAME WITH A GENERALLY PLANAR SUPPORT HAVING A FORWARD EDGE; HANDLE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SUPPORT FOR MANUAL MANIPULATION OF SAID PAINT APPLYING DEVICE; A GENERALLY PLANAR PAINT APPLYING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT AND ADAPTED TO LIE FLUSHLY AGAINST A SURFACE OF TRIMMING THE BORDER THEREOF ADJACENT AND ADJOINING SURFACE, SAID PAINT APPLYING DEVICE HAVING A FORWARD EDGE POSITIONED IN GENERALLY VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID SUPPORT FORWARD EDGE; A GUIDE MEMBER INCLUDING A GENERALLY PLANAR BASE HAVING A FORWARD EDGE; MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT DEFINING A PIVOT AXIS PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORT AND SPACED REARWARDLY OF SAID SUPPORT FORWARD EDGE FOR PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE TO SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID GUIDE MEMBER BETWEEN A PAINTING POSITION WHEREIN SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE RESTS UPON SAID SUPPORT AND A PAINT LOADING POSITION WHEREIN SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE IS INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORT; A SPACING MEMBER EXTENDING GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR DOWNWARDLY FROM THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE THE FORWARD EDGE OF SAID SUPPORT WHEN SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE IS IN THE PAINTING POSITION TO PREVENT PAINT FROM BEING APPLIED TO SAID ADJOINING SURFACE DURING TRIMMING OPERATION, SAID SPACING MEMBER BEING MOVED TO A POSITION SPACED ABOVE THE PLANE OF SAID PAINT APPLYING MEMBER WHEN SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE IS PIVOTED INTO SAID PAINT LOADING POSITION WHEREBY SAID PAINT APPLYING DEVICE MAY BE DIPPED INTO A SUPPLY OF PAINT WITHOUT GETTING PAINT UPON SAID SPACING MEMBER; AND LEVER MEANS ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE PLANE THEREOF, SAID LEVER MEANS HAVING A MANUALLY ENGAGEABLE PORTION DISPOSED REARWARDLY OF SAID PIVOT AXIS AND ADJACENT SAID HANDLE MEANS FOR MANUAL MANIPULATION OF SAID GUIDE MEMBER BASE BETWEEN SAID PAINTING AND PAINT LOADING POSITIONS. 